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Rare dental trait provides morphological evidence of archaic introgression in Asian fossil record.


ABSTRACT: The recently described Denisovan hemimandible from Xiahe, China [F. Chen et al., (2019) Nature 569, 409-412], possesses an unusual dental feature: a 3-rooted lower second molar. A survey of the clinical and bioarchaeological literature demonstrates that the 3-rooted lower molar is rare (less than 3.5% occurrence) in non-Asian Homo sapiens In contrast, its presence in Asian-derived populations can exceed 40% in China and the New World. It has long been thought that the prevalence of 3-rooted lower molars in Asia is a relatively late acquisition occurring well after the origin and dispersal of H. sapiens However, the presence of a 3-rooted lower second molar in this 160,000-y-old fossil hominin suggests greater antiquity for the trait. Importantly, it also provides morphological evidence of a strong link between archaic and recent Asian H. sapiens populations. This link provides compelling evidence that modern Asian lineages acquired the 3-rooted lower molar via introgression from Denisovans.

SUBMITTER: Bailey SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6660730 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Rare dental trait provides morphological evidence of archaic introgression in Asian fossil record.

Bailey Shara E SE   Hublin Jean-Jacques JJ   Antón Susan C SC  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20190708 30


The recently described Denisovan hemimandible from Xiahe, China [F. Chen et al., (2019) <i>Nature</i> 569, 409-412], possesses an unusual dental feature: a 3-rooted lower second molar. A survey of the clinical and bioarchaeological literature demonstrates that the 3-rooted lower molar is rare (less than 3.5% occurrence) in non-Asian <i>Homo sapiens</i> In contrast, its presence in Asian-derived populations can exceed 40% in China and the New World. It has long been thought that the prevalence of  ...[more]

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